Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 77335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77335 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 387(@200wpm)___ 309(@250wpm)___ 258(@300wpm)
I looked up as the second chopper arrived, ready to pick up Hunter. Hunter’s eyes first went to the helicopters in relief. Then he saw me holding Charlotte, and the blood drained from his face.
“Okay, the other one is clearly stable. Let’s get her on the first chopper, and he can take the second,” the first EMT yelled.
“Do you want us to take her?” the second one asked.
“No, I’ll hold her. I’m going with her.” I scooped her back into my arms, pressing her chest to mine and putting my hand back on the wound on her stomach.
She groaned in pain as I got her situated.
I kissed her forehead as I murmured against her cheek, “Stay with me, baby. Don’t leave me, princess.”
CHAPTER 31
REID
My clothes became drenched with her blood as her pulse grew fainter.
“Come on, princess,” I begged. “Stay strong for me. Be my good girl and stay with me. You are mine, my brave girl, my strong girl. Show the world how strong you are. Can you do that for me?”
Her hand came up and closed around my finger, just holding on to me.
She wasn’t squeezing very tight, but she was showing me that she was still with me even if she didn’t have the strength to open her eyes.
Then I did something I swore I would never do again.
But for Charlotte, I would break any vow.
I closed my eyes, and I started to pray.
I didn’t know what God may have been listening to me or if I had done so much wrong in my life that I wasn’t worth listening to at all.
But I had to try.
Surely, if there was a creator, they would save this woman.
Not because she was wealthy and privileged, but because she was sweet and kind, and her living was the only thing that would stop me from burning the entire world to ash.
So for her and the sake of every other damned soul in this world, I prayed.
I vowed to do anything.
I would protect her with everything I had.
I would marry her, provide for her.
There would not be a single thing in this or any life that she wanted that I wouldn’t give her.
Dear Lord, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, save this girl.
This is a brilliant, strong woman who has lived life at the whim of others. She deserves more. She deserves people who will fight for her, instead of those who use her and who refuse to let her share her gifts with the world. She deserves to share her light, to learn what it means to be free, and to make choices for herself.
Please, lord, let her live, and let her choose me.
My head was bowed, my eyes closed, and my words were silent, but I had to believe they were reaching whoever it was that needed to hear them.
At this point, I didn’t give a fuck if I had to sell my soul to Satan himself to save this woman.
My prayers turned angry.
How dare God let this happen to Charlotte.
Of all the women in the world, why did he have to let this happen to mine?
I went from pleading for her life to threatening God himself in my head, promising to find a way to make him pay if she didn’t live.
It must have been less than five minutes before we were landing, and I carried Charlotte out of the helicopter and through the first hallway. The doctors met us in the middle of the second hallway, bursting through a set of double doors with a stretcher.
Immediately, I laid her down and let them examine her while they started to run toward an operating room.
I ran with them as I gave the details I had.
Everything: her heart rate, where the wounds were, how long they’d been like that, and approximately how much blood she lost. I even had her blood type and list of allergies memorized. She was allergic to a few medicines, nothing that seemed pertinent to what they would have to do, but I didn’t want to run any risks. I held her hand as we ran, not wanting to let go while she still had the strength to reach for me.
Outside the operating room, one of the doctors looked up at me with kind eyes and said, “Honey, we’ve got it from here. I need you to stay back here and let us do our job. Someone will come get you as soon as there is news about your wife.”
My wife.
Not yet, but soon.
“Don’t make me leave her.”
“You aren’t leaving her. You are letting the professionals do their job. You slowed her bleeding and got her to us fast enough that I am sure you saved her life. We will do everything we can to bring her back to you.”
The doctor spoke with such authority, I had to believe she would save Charlotte.